Mark Scoular’s Post

I've written 3 suggestions for fixing Welsh Rugby #1 Reimagining Welsh Rugby's Professional Game Welsh Rugby is at a crossroads, and bold reform is needed to secure its future. The current structure has diluted resources, fractured fan bases, and struggled to compete on the global stage. It's time to return to their roots while building for the future. Imagine a professional system with three historic clubs—Llanelli, Cardiff, and Newport—at its heart. These iconic names carry decades of tradition, pride, and a deep connection to their communities. By focusing on quality over quantity, this streamlined model can create stronger teams capable of competing internationally, reignite local passion, and offer clear pathways for young talent to succeed. But it’s not just about the pro game. These clubs must be the cornerstone of their districts, (see #3) supporting grassroots rugby by funding development programs, coaching initiatives, and community engagement. Strong pro clubs can be beacons of inspiration, but their success must ripple through every level of the sport. Welsh Rugby’s future depends on honoring their history while embracing the changes needed to thrive in a modern game. It’s time to unify behind a vision that works for players, fans, and communities alike. Wales can build a rugby system that reflects their values, supports their talent, and secures their place on the global stage. #regionsarefinished #focusonfuture #nosoftoptions #itstime

🏉 Helping the next generation of rugby stars tackle their financial futures!  We loved being part of New Zealand Rugby's induction program, introducing players to the power of smart investing for the long term. It’s all about building strong foundations—on and off the field. 🙌     #FinancialEducation #investmenttips #investmentgoals #smartinvestment #investing #exchangetradedfunds 

#4 of 4 on the future of Welsh Rugby - The most important. Bring Passion Back to Grassroots Rugby Welsh rugby’s soul lies in its grassroots. Every village, school, and community club is a seedbed for future talent and fan engagement. Yet, for years, grassroots rugby has been neglected in favour of top-down initiatives that fail to resonate. I would redirect significant funding and attention to grassroots rugby, ensuring clubs have the resources to thrive. This means subsidizing coaching, improving facilities, and fostering inclusivity—not as a politically correct tick-box exercise but as a genuine commitment to growing the game. The WRU must inspire the next generation by investing in youth programs that are visible, accessible, and aspirational. Rugby in Wales should be a national movement, not a corporate monolith. In addition, it is a national disgrace that, even now, there are no Welsh coaches being considered to replace Gatland. Surely this is the most glaring failure of Welsh Rugby. They have spent nothing on bringing through Welsh coaches, mostly in favour of NZ solutions. Look at Scotland and what Gregor Townsend has achieved and where they sit in comparison to Wales, oh and they only have 2 pro teams. But hang on Welsh parochialism would insist on more not fewer teams. Therein lies the difference.

As another England Rugby community club season closes the spectacle of club successes and disappointments across the leagues as clubs celebrate or commiserate performances. However, while England Rugby struggle to solve the Premiership Rugby vs #ChampionshipRugbyClub financial debate, failing to establish a fair playing field at the top of the sport a similar battle is being played out throughout the leagues! Sport is based on fair competition, playing by rules/laws, being compliant with policies and conditions of competition… apart from in the England Rugby “amateur” leagues that is! While some clubs celebrate their youth policies, publicly stating which senior players come through their youth section (see Wetherby RUFC), a champion of true community sport, a few clubs, choosing to pay ‘professional players’ to bolster playing squads, denying they do so (once they’ve been successful) makes a mockery of ‘fair sport’. Being successful, gaining reflective glory, with an unfairly stacked squad is cheating! No one would praise the ‘playing of over-aged players’ in youth rugby (then pretending such players weren’t older just because the team was successful)! So why are coaches happy to do so in adult rugby? Those who bask in such ‘fake glory’ of winning, after fielding stacked teams should, at worst, hang their heads in shame or, at best, admit they are cheating and honestly state they pay players. Maybe England Rugby & Yorkshire Rugby should follow Wetherby RUFC example requiring clubs to indicate, in match programs, which senior players come from clubs junior sections (**) and which players are paid professionals (##)🤔 #HonestOpenGame

As a rugby fan it is pleasing to see that Wasps, London Irish and Worcester are looking to make a return to Championship Rugby, which will no doubt see them push for promotion into the Premiership. I think this has the potential to be big for the finances of top flight rugby, additionsl teams would bring additional matches leading to more money through match day income, TV rights and so on. The finances of top flight rugby have been subject to scrutiny of late and whilst I am sure things are going on behind the scenes in a bid to make clubs more viable there has been limited outward press that could allay concerns of fans. However, a lot is going to depend upon whether the top tier expands back to 12 or more teams to accommodate this or if it remains in its current ten team format with the newly introduced promotion and relegation playoff. Depending upon how this season turns out there is a possibility that the Championship next season contains one current Premiership team and the three phoenix clubs all vying for one promotion spot. This could turn into an arms race and that has the potential to be detrimental to long term prospects of a club if they spend big money in search of the top flight only to fall short. As we have seen multiple times in the football league the consequences of this can result in an insolvency process. Whilst the financial stakes are arguably lower in rugby, as the recent insolvencies have shown these carry a significant impact on not just the club but the wider rugby union ecosphere.

"Good ideas are always crazy until they're not"- Larry Page My heart goes out to all the supporters, volunteers and of course, players and coaches of the Melbourne Rebels, the Board (past and present) who got them in to this mess, not so much. It sounds mad but why don't the Melbourne Rebels field a team in the 2025 Shute Shield? Before you scoff ( I heard it from here) the numbers are not frightening. The cost of travel would be around $500 000 (Assuming 2 Grade Teams and a Colts team - or 1 Grade Team, 1 Women's team and a Colts team). Add to that the cost of running a Shute Shield club (around $1m) and maybe some extras (call it $500 000 to be safe) and you are left with a bill of around $2m . Not a huge number between Victorian Rugby Union, the Victorian Government and Rugby Australia. This number would obviously reduce after Membership, Sponsorship and Gate were collected but even if that revenue amounted to zero - $2.0m to keep a club in Melbourne sounds a fraction of the previous arrangement. The benefits would be a club for Victorian juniors to aspire to (albeit semi professional) there is a Victorian team for fans to congregate around and the games can be played in Stadiums more suited to the size of the crowds. For Stan, there is a reason for Victorian Rugby fans to keep their subscription, it solves RA's issue of providing a team in Victoria and all of us can do something to support Rugby in Victoria. Would the other Shute Shield Clubs go for it? Not sure, the progressive ones would as they should see the benefits to the game, so probably. Liz Radcliffe (President of Victorian Rugby) no doubt has a lot to think about and good on her for taking the role at such a difficult time. No solution is perfect and this idea is a good example of that, however, no fairy god mother is going to appear with the cash required to keep a fully professional Rugby Union team in Victoria. Liz, you will be pleasantly surprised at the number of non Victorian rugby fans willing to put their hand up, myself included, to grow the game. Try it for a year and see what happens - got to be better than the current situation?

Nelson College is seeking intervention from New Zealand Rugby (NZR) after an "unjust, discriminatory, and inconsistent" decision by Tasman Rugby Union, NZ (TRU) will mean it will be the only boys' school in the country excluded from playing age group rugby. The school has sent an urgent request to NZR asking it to establish a new, fairer, independent club status application process. It is in response to a proposal from the Tasman Rugby Union to no longer permit Nelson College to participate in Saturday rugby, because it is not a club. Instead, the TRU asks that U14, U15, U16 college players play exclusively for local rugby clubs. Nelson College has been told that TRU’s rationale includes fostering club rugby to support senior rugby pathways and concerns about the perceived decline in services within the college’s junior rugby programme recently. Nelson College Principal Richard Washington says he is extremely disappointed with the "poor process" for how TRU arrived at its "incorrect assessment of the college’s junior programme" and the rationale that fielding Nelson College teams is detrimental to regional rugby. “Rather than stopping Nelson College playing, in my view clubs have an opportunity to work closer with the schools that don’t have a rugby programme, like the collaborative partnership we have with FC Nelson for football. I would be happy to share with the other schools how we work with FC Nelson if this would be helpful.” Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g9ECC6Uc #NelsonTasman #NelsonCollege #TasmanRugbyUnion #ClubRugby

#2 Strengthening Welsh Rugby Beneath the Pro Game The heart of Welsh Rugby has always been its grassroots—local clubs, schools, and communities where players first fall in love with the game. But for too long, the connection between the community and the professional game has been fragmented. It’s time to rebuild that bridge with a clear, sustainable structure beneath the pro game. Semi-Professional Rugby: A strong semi-pro system governed by three districts (Llanelli, Cardiff, and Newport)(not the clubs) will provide the vital link between community rugby and the professional game. Each district will manage its league, aligning development programs to ensure players, coaches, and referees have a clear pathway to progress. A national competition will offer semi-pro teams the chance to shine, creating competitive rugby that inspires the next generation. Community Rugby: This is where the magic begins. Grassroots rugby must be inclusive and accessible, with opportunities for all ages, genders, and abilities. Community clubs will operate under their district’s guidance, offering tiered leagues to cater to everyone from social players to serious competitors. Programs like youth development leagues, school partnerships, and even walking rugby will ensure everyone can experience the joy of rugby. Pro Club Support: The professional clubs will play an active role in supporting their districts. Imagine pro players mentoring local teams, coaching sessions for young talent, and shared resources to ensure every club has the tools to succeed. When grassroots and semi-pro rugby thrive, the whole system benefits. Stronger districts mean more talent for the pro game, a deeper connection to fans, and a renewed sense of pride in our communities. The foundation is there; you just need to build on it.

In the world of rugby, there are few things more exhilarating than witnessing an underdog rise to the occasion and triumph against the odds. England's recent victory over Ireland in rugby is a testament to the power of positivity, teamwork, and the willingness to embrace change. When England stepped onto the pitch as the underdogs against Ireland, few predicted the outcome - as the game unfolded, it became clear that this was a team determined to defy expectations and write their own story. They showed resilience in the face of adversity, refusing to be daunted by the challenges ahead. One of the most inspiring aspects of England's performance was their ability to come together as a cohesive unit. Despite the pressure and intensity of the match, they remained united in their pursuit of victory. Each player knew their role and executed it with precision, demonstrating the importance of trust and collaboration on the field. Let’s be honest – for the first time in a while. But perhaps what was most striking about England's performance was their willingness to try new things – for England! They embraced innovation and experimentation, unafraid to push the boundaries of conventional normal English tactics. This willingness to adapt and evolve is what sets great teams apart from the rest, and it was evident in every pass, tackle, and try. As we reflect on England's triumph over Ireland, we are reminded of the power of positivity, teamwork, and innovation. It serves as a timely reminder that with the right attitude and a collective effort, anything is possible. Who knows, perhaps this victory is just the beginning of something truly special for English rugby – but let’s not get ahead of ourselves as the French await England next week!! So, whether you're the underdog or facing a rough patch, remember to regroup, focus on improvement, prioritise teamwork and let enthusiasm power your journey to success! #teamwork #enthusiasm #underdog

Let’s Get Behind School Rugby Throughout the course of this week, the National Schools’ Rugby Sevens will see over 14,000 players in over 1000 teams compete in a variety of competitions. Some are here to win it, some aiming to progress further than before and others participating for the experience. Whilst Rugby is addressing legitimate challenges, it is also a game that continues to capture the imagination of large numbers. The era of compulsory rugby is long gone, and these children are participating because they love the game. It never was a sport for everyone, but continues to be one which enriches the lives of many, providing lifelong memories and friendships. There is something captivatingly attractive about Rugby, though its leaders are curiously reluctant to articulate its benefits more widely. Those of us who have been positively impacted by the game have to be more vocal in our support: the modern game is a niche experience, with unique benefits and challenges. But, those who love it, love it as much as they ever did. Let’s get behind school Rugby - and lifelong friendships